Answers (9)

as disappointing as this is to you, it pales in comparison to how your client feels.

Often times, people with such weight issues have very low self-esteem and confirm to themselves that they cannot do it; your client is probably an example.

You cannot lose the weight for your client but you can stick with him/her, literally through thick and thin. Try to phrase this as a learning experience. After all, the client has demonstrated that s/he has been able to lose 50 lbs. And probably felt very proud as a result of it. I am sure it was very difficult, and it will not be easy to get the client back into the frame of mind to start over,

Try to have an honest conversation without judging. Find out what happened to cause this reversal of motivation. I have no doubt that there was a trigger, and your client is probably aware of it. See whether you can develop a strategy for such event. Your client may not be able to get right back on the 'trying to lose weight' wagon. Stay as positive as possible and see that you can get him/her at least to maintain the exercise regimen. With that alone, you will already have made a very positive impact.

I wish you and your client the best of luck.
Karin Singleton
www.meltnc.com

This would be the time to re set goals.
Sit down and have an eye to eye conversation with him.
Writing up a contract is a great motivational tool, tracking is another.
As personal trainers we can only do do much encouraging, educating, talking, nudging and guiding, ultimately it will be up to your client to succeed for himself.

Shane, I am so happy to know that you are an ACE Certified Personal Trainer.

This might surprise, however, the answer to your question lies within the pages of your ACE Personal Training Manual. Hopefully, you have the most current edition.

I wholeheartedly encourage you to review chapter six of your manual. You will find plenty of information that will assist you in determining which stage of change your clients are in and thus be able to create effective goals and strategies that will equip them in reaching and maintaining their goals as well as overcoming obstacles when they occur.

From my perspective, it appears that there was no "I've fallen of the wagon" strategy in place to help arm your client.

Shane, as you likely are aware, changing a behavior, particularly a chronic behavior, is very difficult and it is important to explain that to your client. It is also important to explain to your client that success in a particular behavior is correlated to past successes in the new behavior.

It is apparent that your client did not have a solid history with the behavior he/she is trying to adopt. It's sort of like riding a bike...

If you were a bike rider when you were young, it is very likely that jumping back on your bike 5 years later will come easy. Your client is learning a new behavior and has "fallen on his/she bike for the first time." The good thing about this is that he/she has a positive experience with the desired behavior and can reflect on what worked well within the five months and what didn't work. It's important, though, to encourage your client to have the mindset of a toddler that is learning how to walk. It stumbles and fall plenty of time, however, the toddler never gives up.

Hi Shane. In addition to what's already been said here by others, I would also add that as we always tell our clients, they don't GAIN all of their weight overnight. I bring this up not as a condemnation, but as a "lesson learned" in that assuming that you've been working with your client consistently throughout their weight LOSS, and now their weight GAIN, as we observe our client making progress and applauding them on that - we also need to observe our client regaining their weight and call them on that. Is this weight gain something that you began to notice, yet didn't ask your client about?

Again, this is not placing the BLAME on you, or any trainer, because in the end it's the client's responsibility. However, it is stating a simple principle of training, "just as we're there to celebrate our client's successes, we need to also be there to call them out on their failures, and hold them responsible throughout our entire training relationship with them.

Hi Shane,
I can completely relate to what you're going through. I have also
Felt this frustration with some clients. What I have learned over the years as A trainer is that there are some things you can control and some things you Cannot control. Sometimes the client is suffering from emotional eating disorders, low self-esteem, Ect. Sometimes with these type of clients I will refer them to a mental health practitioner. The bottom line is that if the client wants to make the change it needs to be a (100% deep core desire). And they are willing to take the action to make that change.

I lost 150 pounds myself, and I still struggle with weight gain. Journaling is number one. Not only what you eat , but also how you are feeling when it happens. What is triggering the eating? What emotion are you trying to cover up? Are they watching TV when eating? TV is a big one, all those food commericals. Someone without an eating disorder maybe understand, you have already eaten 1000 calories before you realize what you ate infront of the TV. Until they gain some control, TV watching may have to be banned. What time of day are they overeating? Come into the gym at that time.

Mindful eating, help them to slow down when eating: Meditation, have the client get in touch with the feelings that they cover up with eating. Find a place that offers meditation, just for well being.

Clients like yours need to have a supportive environment around them or they will slip back to old habits. It takes a lot more that training and a diet plan for them to change lifestyle and make better choices. If they don't have their family and friends supporting them it's very hard to move on. Maybe a psychologist could be another option to consider for this client.

Weight loss is very similar to cigarette cessation or addiction management. It can take several attempts to make the necessary lifestyle changes that will lead to control/maintenance.

The client needs to maintain the lifestyle change longer than six months to even have a decent chance at being successful. And slip ups need to be kept under better control. I.E. slip ups need to have a protocol or action plan for dealing with them immediately.

Every client is not going to be successful on the first maintenance attempt either. You may want to get some help on this from another fitness/healthprofessional.